Leadership begins with a clear and comprehensive vision of the way things are and the way they ought to be. That vision begins with oneself: we invite and prepare our students to lead lives of self-direction and engagement rather than passivity. And there are multiple spheres for the exercise of this leadership in a graduate’s life - workplace, community, church, even the smallest social organizations. Some people wonder why we have a Community Service requirement for all students - including our very busy adults. You’ve just read the reason.

Dr. Elma Lee Moore and students in her Senior Leadership Seminar,
the final course in the Organizational Leadership program. The core of this course is a semester-long individual project on a workplace or community issue of the student's choice.

This section has three headings:

• Quality of adult life
• The semester system
• The SCE office

Quality of adult life at Wittenberg

If you’re considering Wittenberg, you are the kind of person who seeks something more in a college. Very simply, Wittenberg is the top academic choice in the entire Miami Valley, nationally recognized for academic excellence. This isn’t so merely because we stake the claim; it's what others say about us. For instance, we’re the only school in the entire region that has a Phi Beta Kappa chapter, an honor shared by only 246 schools in the nation. And we're listed among the select group of the very best liberal arts undergraduate schools - designated Baccalaureate One. We also host the Eta Sigma Chapter of the national adult honorary society, Alpha Sigma Lamba. Each year we induct the top ten percent of our adult students.

But so much for Wittenberg and its reputation. (For more on this subject, check out the Admissions section.) What does all this mean to you as an adult student? Very simply, our “commitment to excellence” is a commitment to you becoming the best student and person possible. You will have a more intense experience here, one that will produce greater competencies and rewards for a lifetime.

Organizational Leadership senior Debra Kaelin in an advising session with Dr. Elma Lee Moore.

Here are the primary features you’ll encounter here:

• You will learn from a superior faculty whose foremost concern is teaching. (Students absent without notice are typically surprised when they get a personal phone call.)
• You will study with people like yourself - with a serious interest in ideas and learning. Not everyone gets into Wittenberg. But those who do find ample support, including their professors, the Computer Solution Center, the Math Workshop, the Writing Center, the Oral Communication Center and the SCE Office.
• You will work in small classes, with the latest technological support and with plenty of opportunity to engage with your professors.
• Almost all your assignments will be essay-type: the quality of your thought and expression here is more important than your ability to memorize facts.
• You will have access to outstanding facilities and study on a beautiful campus. And you can park here free - and without making endless circles.

The Wittenberg Semester System

Our system combines ample time for in-depth academic work (16 weeks) and courses of high credit value. In most semester programs, a typical course carries 3 credits; the typical Wittenberg course carries 4 credits - equivalent to 6 quarter credits (two courses in a typical quarter school). Thus, “a course” at Wittenberg is worth much more than “a course” at most other schools. In addition to the two regular semesters (Fall and Spring), we offer two shorter Summer terms.

Our system opens up various options for you:

• You can complete 12 credits in a semester or the Summer Session with only three courses. (The normal enrollment for an adult employed full-time is 8 credits, but we want you to see what’s possible.)
• 12 credits is the official level for full-time standing. At this level you may quality for OIG and OSCG grants and a full Pell grant and/or Student Loan. Use the Financial Aid link to see what these programs mean.
• An Associate transfer who maintains 12 credits Fall + Spring + Summer can complete the B.A. or B.S. degree in two years.
• An Associate transfer who completes 8 credits Fall + Spring + and Summer can complete the B.A. or B.S. degree in three years.
• Most Evening or Weekend courses meet once per week. Most Day courses meet either Monday/Wednesday/Friday or Tuesday/Thursday, a convenient arrangement for adult parents.

These options show what you can accomplish if you are “in a hurry.” Wittenberg, however, does not oblige you to sustain any particular pace, or even to enroll every term.

The SCE Office: Personal Service

Studying at Wittenberg involves some hard work. Not so for our administrative procedures. We are committed to making these as easy and simple as possible.

Here’s what you can expect from the School of Community Education staff:

• clear and quick evaluation of your transfer credits and other transactions
• continuous professional advisement: for Day and Evening/Weekend students - Dr. Elma Lee Moore, Dean (Ph.D., The Union Institute) and Mrs. Fetneh Ghavami, Director of Professional Studies (MS, University of Dayton)
• one-stop procedures: admission and basic registration procedures take place through SCE, typically requiring only a few minutes. (OK, adult students in Day majors also see their faculty advisors - but they appreciate the opportunity to renew acquaintances.)
• Convenience: once you have registered for your initial team, you can become eligible to use the advance online procedure. If you happen to miss that procedure, you can register in person, or by mail, FAX, or e-mail.